Today's Date in NBA History

(Boulder-CO) Today's date is June 9th, we are just going to forget about all those days I missed posting for, and on this date:

'80- Red Auerbach cemented his reputation as one of the greatest executives in NBA history with his second-most famous trade. Auerbach obtained center Robert Parish and a 1980 first round draft choice that would become forward Kevin McHale from the Golden State Warriors for a pair of 1980 first round draft choices that became Joe Barry Carroll and Rickey Brown. Parish, McHale and Larry Bird are considered by many NBA experts to be the greatest starting frontcourt in NBA history. The trio won three NBA titles in their first six seasons together.

'85- The Los Angeles Lakers beat Boston 111-100 in Game 6 to win the NBA Finals. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was unanimously voted NBA Finals MVP--at 38, the oldest player ever to gain that honor.

'87- Magic Johnson borrowed a weapon from Los Angeles Lakers teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to beat the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of the 1987 NBA Finals. With the Celtics clinging to a one-point lead, Johnson got the ball on the left side and drove toward the middle, then lofted what he called a “junior junior sky-hook” for a 107-106 victory. The Lakers went on to win the series in six games.

'91- Chicago (5) and the Los Angeles Lakers (10) combined for a then NBA Finals low 15 turnovers, in Game 4 at the Great Western Forum, a 97-82 win for the Bulls that gave them a 3-1 series lead. On June 19, 2000, the Lakers (5) and Indiana Pacers (9) broke the mark by combining for only 14 turnovers in the Lakers’ clinching 116-111 Game 6 victory.

'95- With a 117-106 victory in Game 2 of the NBA Finals at Orlando Arena, the Houston Rockets set a then playoff record for a single season with their seventh straight road win. Hakeem Olajuwon’s 34 points and 11 rebounds, Sam Cassell’s 31 points off the bench and Robert Horry’s NBA Finals single game record seven steals lifted the Rockets to a 2-0 series lead.

'00- Shaquille O’Neal spent a large portion of Game 2 of NBA Finals 2000 at the free throw line, and spent that time shattering an NBA record for most free throws in a playoff game. His 39 free throw attempts dwarfed the playoff record of 32 attempts by Boston’s Bob Cousy in a four-overtime game vs. Syracuse on March 21, 1953. The previous Finals mark was 24, set by St. Louis’ Bob Pettit against Boston on April 9, 1958. O’Neal’s 18 free throws made in Game 2 were one less than Pettit’s 19 against the Celtics.

Enjoy your day!